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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Music that is easy to listen to and understand.






2. A glissando or portamento. Also refers to the moving part of a trombone.






3. A mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect.






4. An extended solo - often accompanying the vocal part of an aria.






5. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.






6. A line in a contrapuntal work performed by an individual voice or instrument.






7. A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.






8. A musical scale having five notes.For example: the five black keys of a keyboard make up a pentatonic scale.






9. Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.






10. A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.






11. Primary theme or subject that is developed.






12. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.






13. Singing in unison - texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech.






14. Time in music history ranging from the middle of the 16th to the middle of the 17th centuries. Characterized by emotional - flowery music; written in strict form.






15. The first tone of a scale also known as a keynote.






16. A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.






17. The element of music pertaining to time - played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats.






18. The first section of a movement written in sonata form - introducing the melodies and themes.






19. Pertains to tone or tones.






20. Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending.






21. A group of 4 instruments - two violins - a viola - and cello.






22. A form of Italian opera beginning at the end of the 19th century. The setting is contemporary to the composer's own time - and the characters are modeled after every day life.






23. A direction to play lively and fast.






24. To shift to another key.






25. The voice between soprano and alto. Also - in sheet music - a direction for the tempo to be played at medium speed.






26. Initially an improvised cadence by a soloist; later becoming an elaborate and written out passage in an aria or concerto - featuring the skills of an instrumentalist or vocalist.






27. A system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions.






28. A style of male singing where by partial use of the vocal chords - the voice is able to reach the pitch of a female.






29. Music composed such that each note is used the same number of times.






30. A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.






31. A string of chords played in succession.






32. Repetition of a single tone.






33. Tones used to embellish the principal melodic tone.






34. The technique of altering the tone color of a single note or musical line by changing from one instrument to another in the middle of a note or line.






35. Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.






36. Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord.






37. The structure of a piece of music.






38. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






39. A musical theme given to a particular idea or main character of an opera.






40. The element of music pertaining to time - played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats.






41. A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone.






42. A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.






43. A form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.






44. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






45. A composition written for nine instruments.






46. A drama where the words are sung instead of spoken.






47. A large group of instrumentalists playing together.






48. Music written for a lively French dance for two performers written in triple time.






49. An extended cantata on a sacred subject.






50. A chord comprised of three whole tones resulting in an augmented fourth or diminished fifth.